Social Media kills

Social media kills? Is life better without it?

There was a question on the popular “Q&A” website Quora entitled: What are the small things you can do to have a good life?

And I think (especially today in 2016), one answer provided the most immediate impact for the largest number of people. However, I’m afraid that not even 0.5% of social media users would do something like this now that their addiction is complete.

Delete all of your social media accounts

By Benjamin Holton Paparella

“One of the biggest causes of unhappiness is directly related to comparing yourself to others. A wise bird once told me that the path to true happiness is achieved when you stop comparing.

Easier said than done. But once you fully understand how this effects you emotionally you begin to catch yourself comparing and can better evaluate your thoughts and stop them from affecting your emotional well-being.

I’ve been social media free for over a year now and I can tell you from first-hand experience that it has changed my life.

I’m single, approaching my 30’s and thought by now I would be married with children. When I was participating in the toxic social media world I would constantly see others I grew up with forming families and it made me feel like a failure. But since I’ve deleted my accounts, I have gained a new perspective on where I am in my life and frankly, I am very happy where I am today. This is just one single example of how people compare, it can be of anything, material items, marital status, career placement etc. the list goes on and on.

Simply put, deleting your accounts is very easy to do and the outcome is significant.

Some people may say, “but Facebook keeps me in touch with people and helps me remember birthdays” etc. but in reality, if these people are important enough you will keep in touch without needing social media to facilitate this for you. This also helps weave out any fair weather friends. Those who keep in contact are your true friends and those who don’t are simply fair-weather friends.

I could go on and on about all of the benefits of deleting social media from your life but I think this answer best relates to the direct question asked.”

It goes beyond “comparing”

While Benjamin is correct, that the whole phenomenon in relation to comparing does have profound psychological effects, but there is more. Much more.

The time wasted on social media is mind-numbing. Almost everyone gets caught up. And it doesn’t matter if you’re just online at Starbucks. Those moments lost staring at a digital screen could have been used to observe your real life environment. Or use the time to contemplate your life and issues. Or talk to real people.

And not just fakebook or Twitter. Pinterest. Yelp. And hundreds more. At least with email, your communications are direct (and that’s how we like to roll).

Additionally – the propaganda and marketing that comes with social media are pathetic. Treating the billions of users who made a few filthy rich as sheep. Cogs in a money wheel. Shaping perceptions dishonestly. Crazy stuff.

I wish businesses could also go back to the old way as well. It would be great if every business said at the same time: “We’re not doing this anymore.”

How technology has degraded the collective mind in just about a decade is fascinating – but disappointing. Hopefully, the negatives can be erased even quicker – but I doubt that as millions of more minds who never knew a better way are coming of age every single year.

How long would it take to reverse this trend?

Here’s a video we posted from way back in 2012 that should give you reasons enough: